Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 July 1875 — Cutting and Curing Hay. [ARTICLE]

Cutting and Curing Hay.

Thebe is no one farm product the valuable properties of which are more affected by a slight variation in the time or mode of curing t.han hay. It is true that hay differs in its nutritive properties according to the particular plants of which it consists, as well as to the time and manner of cutting and curing; still, those plants which are comparatively poor can be made into passable good hay by proper manipulation, and the very best rendered almost worthless by bad treatment. We have often thought that the more favorable the climate for the production and curiDg of herbage for stopk the less likely would it be to obtain it of good quality and in sufficient quantities. The dryness of our climate, as a rule, is especially favorable for making the best quality of hay, and this has, without doubt, tended to make our farmers careless in regard to beginning at the earliest practicable moment to secure the crops, as they know that good haying weather is likely to continue for an indefinite period. This advantage of climate has been the bane of our agriculturists in many branches of farming, but in none has it produced more injurious results than in hay-making. The proof of our assertion can be seen in the dried hay exposed in our city markets and in the barns of the farmer, as well as in the condition of the animals forced to eat a poor quality of hay, which might have been greatly improved in quality at no extra expense by cutting early and curing in a proper manner. It is well known and, almost everywhere, conceded' that hay-plants cut down while immature and in a succulent stage contain a much larger proportion of starch, sugar and gum than the same cut when nearly ripe. As the plants ma ture, a large proportion of these nutritive properties is converted into woody fiber, which, in a great part, is indigestible matter, doing the animal very little good, besides costing much labor in mastication. The longer grass stands after arriving at Its maximum stage of growth the greater the loss of sugar and other soluble matter, and the less digestible it becomes. Even when cut down in a thoroughly succulent condition most of the grasses suffer some loss of sugar and starch and undergo a degree of liquefaction in drying.

Scientific agriculturists know the value pf early-cut fodder, but the majority of our farmers still persist in delaying the haying season until all possibility of making good hay is past. With our ordinary kinds «f cultivated grasses the appearance of the flowers is an unerring sign of fitness for the scythe or mower, anti if a man has a large quantity to secure and not sufficient as well as efficient help to gather the entire crop he had better commence a few days earlier. But in no case should the cutting be delayed until the seeds begin to harden. The same rule holds good with the legumes, such as our common red clover, lucerne and other similar plants, none of which add anything to their nutritive properties by being allowed to stand long after they come into bloom. Green herbage cured rapidly is decidedly superior to that which is cured slowly. This is another point in haymaking which many otherwise good farmers fail to comprehend. The loss of nutritive Walter in curing hay is considerable even when the operation is conducted in the best possible manner and

in the most favorable weather, but by a very little carelessness it may reach ,50 per cent, or even more. In good weather grass cut in the forenoon may be raked up into windrow's or small heaps in the evening, and then left to cure further in this shape if necessary. But it should never be allowed to be wet with Mew or rain after the grass has once become wiJted, if it can possibly be avoided. Grass cut down late in the afternoon may be left out in the swath over night without any perceptible injury, but it is poor policy to cut more in the morning than can be gathered up at night. All unnecessary exposure to light, air and moisture should be avoided if good, green, succulent fodder is the point aimed at. Hay that is cured quicklv is not only better in quality, but looks better, the green color remaining more perfectly than when the process has continued slowly and through several days. Cutting early in fine weather and curing quickly are the two main points in making hay of fine quality.— N. Y.Sun.